Face Down
by lala423
Summary: One day she will tell you that she has had enough. This is true for Nikki an distant cousin of Elena; after being trapped by her abuser for so long she has finally made a new life back in her home town of Mystic Falls a, a new home along with a new love interest in someone very unlikely along with some supernatural changes in herself. But will her past come back to haunt her?
1. Chapter 1

Face Down

Alright here is a little story that just happened to pop into my head as I was reading other Vampire Diaries fan fictions, this one is more of an Alternate universe type romance between Damon and made up character- remember I do not own any of the Vampire Diaries characters I only own the ones I make up! Oh and if you are looking for something a little different keep a look out for another fanfic that is a crossover between twilight and VD!

Hope you like!

Well without further ado here we go to this untitled story that just popped into my head.

Driving. Driving. And I guess you can pretty much guess what I am about to say next….. More driving. I was so sick of driving but I knew that once Mystic Falls I would feel a lot better, I had finally grown tired of moving around so much for my job that I practically jumped at the opportunity to work at a nearby location that was just under an hour from my hometown.

Oops. I'm being very rude – well first things first my name is Nikkolina Paola Fiore and yes that is Italian and as for my middle name well that is Spanish, yes my parents chose very authentic and foreign names for they're only daughter, not that I am complaining I actually love my name its very well not ordinary.

And let's just say that I am not a very ordinary girl.

I guess I will pause there for the introductions and go back to the reason why I am moving back to the hometown I said I would never move back to.

After leaving all the small town things for college I moved to Chicago where I attended UIC and majored in this and that and somehow I ended up working part time and my favorite store in the whole wide world Victoria's Secret and over these past few years I had taken offer upon offer to move up in the company whether that mean moving twice a year or even flying out for a season to help out at different stores.

I went from Chicago to New York to Oak brook and the list goes into Los Angeles where I really made an impression with someone way high up in the company and I was offered the promotion of department manager of bras, lingerie and sport of the Barracks Road Shopping Center location in Charlottesville. To say the least I was completely shocked and excited here I am 24 and I am already a manager with a hefty salary and amazing benefits.

Luckily for me I had been well off enough to go off the radar when I left Los Angeles, the only thing left to fear now was my past- I wondered how long it would be until it caught up with me yet again.

A new life and a fresh start was just the thing to cure all the ailments that I left behind.

Over the past three years I had been a part of an abusive relationship that completely took over my life, finally I had enough of all the daily insults, all the broken promises…..broken bones I grew some ovaries and left him.

I was finally free.

Alright here is a little taste of something that is in the works I'm sure over the next few weeks I will upload more and more. I hope you all like it and please read and review!

Oh and let me know what you think, if you would like me to continue with this story please please please review!


	2. Chapter 2 cheers to a new begining

Alright I know I said I wouldn't continue the story unless I had any reviews but I just had to put in something other than the introduction. So here is the next chapter to my story, I hope you like and please let me know what you think like I always say I love to hear the good, the bad and the ugly….but please don't be too mean

I finally arrived in the small town of Mystic falls where I had all my belongings shipped and arranged in a livable for the moment way, and seeing how as it was only six in the afternoon I was bound by orders of Elena Gilbert-Salvatore to come to her home no matter how late it was.

So that's what I did, lucky for me I was able to catch a couple z's in a motel room and able to shower and do all the necessary steps to get my level of dolled up. I put her address into my GPS and headed her way immediately.

I pulled up to the Gilbert- Salvatore home and honked the horn to let the couple know that I had arrived, finally she skipped out of her home giddy as could be and ran towards me.

"Nikki! It's so good to see you- you dyed your hair red!" She exclaimed and me into a warm embrace.

"Good to see you to El! Yeah it was about time for a change so I dyed it when I stopped in Chicago." I hugged her back tightly and rejoiced in my reunion with my family.

"Well I love it! Come in we were just about to grill out back." She led me into her and Stephan's beautiful home.

"Elena your house is amazing, I love it!" She smiled at me and we went into the back to meet Stephan and Amara- they're three month old daughter.

"Who's this fireball?" Stephan came up and gave me a big bear hug and swung me around a bit, before when I lived in Mystic Falls, back when he and Elena were just dating he was like my surrogate brother along with Jeremy, since I was an only child that was something that I really loved about living in Mystic Falls.

"Stephan- oh how I have missed my big brother!" I said dramatically. He put me back down and I was able to turn my attention to a version of both my family members meshed together in one little baby just sitting there smiling happily in her high chair, I walked over to her and reached out for her, she just squealed in delight as I picked her up.

"She's so beautiful!" I looked down at the little beauty with green eyes like her father and a smile exactly like her mother, then looked up at the happy couple who were smiling at one another.

"It's been so long baby you're so big now." I spoke to the little girl in my arms, cooing her and rocking her as she stared up at me with such wonder.

"She's missed her Aunt Nikki." Elena said with some sorrow in her voice, I know that she never held it against me that I didn't visit much over the last three years but she still was hurt by the fact that I missed almost every major event in her life including her wedding and sure I went to the engagement party and other events leading up to the wedding but I know that I really hurt her when I had to back out of the wedding because of some sorry cover up story that I made up when Patrick went off the deep wend. After all the events that I had missed she still had enough in her to forgive me and let me back into her life…. Well her family's life. I knew that sooner or later I would have to tell her the truth about what had gone on over the past few years, after all that I had done to neglect her I knew I owed her that much. As I looked down at this little bundle of joy I tried my best to hold back the tears but this little one caused me so much emotion that I couldn't hold back.

Elena walked over to me and smiled.

"Hey – no tears Nikki, otherwise you're going to make me cry." She hugged me yet again.

"So when is Patrick coming in?" Stephan asked to try and change the subject of my emotions.

"He's not coming." I snapped and said a bit more harshly than I meant to.

"We broke up." I couldn't look in either of their eyes as I tried to play everything off.

"How come?" Elena asked.

"Look today is a good day for me – can we maybe hold off on the bad and the ugly, for now?" She and Stephan exchanged stares and agreed not to ask any questions until after dinner.

"Is everything okay?" She pushed a bit more.

"It will be." I said with in a hopeful manner.

Both of them could clearly tell that I was lying but neither pushed any further than they already had, both could tell that this was a touchy subject for me and luckily for me they respected that.

All through dinner we talked about how much life has changed over the years.

They talked about how marriage had changed their lives and where the others of our group had run off into the world but occasionally came back for family events.

Jeremy and Bonnie had gone off to college together, he eventually popped the question and the two were planning on getting married within the next year, as for the illustrious Caroline Forbes she had gone to college here in Virginia and had moved to Atlanta to become an event planner and to my knowledge she was quite successful at what she did, she planned Stephan and Elena's wedding and I'm sure would be planning any other of our group's future weddings.

"So why the big move Nikki?" Stephan asked.

"I was looking to find something different well in my home life and I was going to move back here anyway but I got a promotion at work."

"Really where?" Elena asked.

"Well they opened up a Victoria's Secret in Charlottesville, and they made me store manager."

"Congratulations!" She rejoiced.

"Thanks! This has been a very crazy week for me what with the relocation and moving all my stuff to the new house."

"So is this for sure?" She asked.

"El I wouldn't have bought a house in Mystic Falls if it weren't for real, and according to the contract at work I'm here to stay."

"Really?" Stephan asked.

"Yep- it's actually not far from where you used to live Stephan." He nodded.

"Oh yeah?" I nodded.

"It's about a mile down but on the same road and path of land."

"Sweet – I'm sure my brother will love having a neighbor." He said sarcastically.

"I forgot you had a brother- how's he doing?"

"Great from what he says, actually he was supposed to be here tonight but I guess he got tied up at work." I had always heard all this talk of Stephan's brother but our paths still had yet to cross, I was sure that sooner or later I would meet him now that I moved back to the falls.

"Wow that's something you two have got in common Nik." Elena commented, I chuckled at her snarky comment.

"Alright. Alright I guess I deserved that one Elena." She smirked at me picking up the dishes to take into the kitchen.

She brought out a bottle of wine and poured the two of us.

"So spill Nikki- what's going on with Patrick?" She sat down to listen to whatever I had to say.

"He was cheating on me, I went to the office to visit him one day and there he was screwing the brains out of his secretary." I said with absolutely no emotion.

"Seriously?" She gasped, I merely shrugged and took another sip of my wine.

"That's all the ammo I needed to leave him- after all that he'd put me through that was the end of it for me." She looked at me as if knowing what I was about to explain next, I just took a deep breath and prepared for how I was going to tell her the hocking realization of what my relationship with Patrick really was.

"El I owe you an explanation for missing out on your wedding and Amara, I don't really know how to put this but Patrick isn't who he said he was, he's not the person I thought he was…he is a really bad person." She continued to give me her undivided attention.

"This is the reason why I couldn't make it to the baby shower or when she was born." I pulled up my skirt to reveal a nasty scar that was healing just enough to be able see the atrocity that had happened to my thigh.

She gasped and dropped her glass, the shattering sound took her out of shock.

I stood there with tears in my eyes not knowing what to say, feeling ashamed for not having said anything to anyone, especially her.

"Why didn't you ever say anything to me?" She asked letting a few tears fall loose.

"He kept me on a tight leash for these past two years I didn't know what to do, he kept all of my phone records, my mail Facebook everything it's like he was this storm cloud following me around everywhere, before I left I found out that he had put a tracking device in my car so that he could tell where I had been." I knew it was hard for her to hear what I had to say but the truth was that talking about it and bringing out of my dark secrets out into the open were just as hard.

"How did you survive this for three years?" She asked.

"He was the man that I loved for the first year and everything after that turned into fear and terror, he would hurt me over and over again and then just say sorry as if it could fix everything, as if sorry cold make all the scars and bruises vanish." She stared at me with such anger and hurt, thinking of things that she could do to make him pay.

"I am gonna kill him." She balled her fists up.

"No- I left him I packed everything up as soon as I got the offer and I left- he doesn't know where I am, I told them at work to leave no forwarding address and to tell no one where I had gone please it's over just please, I'm sorry for not telling you." I pleaded for her to calm down.

She took a deep breath and just stared at me for a moment.

"Does anyone else know about this?" I shook my head.

"No." She scoffed.

"Did you go completely off the radar- there isn't any way that he could ever find you?" I shook my head.

"I changed phones, sold my car and bought a new one after I landed in Texas, I dyed my hair when I stopped in Chicago and I completely changed all my bank accounts and financing with no forwarding addresses, Patrick has no idea where I am and there is no way for him to communicate with me." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"I just don't understand how you could have kept this in for so long." She tried to keep her composure.

"I don't know either I – I really don't I went numb after a couple of months and I kind of just shut down, I made myself believe that he loved me and that it would someday end."

"Elena I'm really sorry for not saying anything to you." She pulled me in for another much needed hug.

"Look stop saying sorry, I understand where you are coming from, I am still kind of shocked and hurt that you felt alone and trapped but it's over now." Stephan came back out onto the deck with a new wine glass and handed it to Elena.

"This is a new start for me El, I really just want to forget about the past and live my life for once." She gave me a smile filled with hope but still with a glimmer of worry, she was thinking the same thing that anyone else would.

'What if he was to find me?'

After the two loneliest years of my life I was finally safe…..I felt safe, I felt like my life had finally taken the stable turn that I desperately.

I stayed half the night at Elena and Stephan's just talking about all these plans I had for my new life, including work and how I was going to contribute to being a part of a new family yet again. They both looked happy at hearing these plans, and I had to admit after the entire road trip I wasn't so nervous about what was to come.

Stephan had pulled me aside to chat about an upcoming event that he was a bit uneasy about, that is when Elena was busy feeding Amara.

"Okay so Elena's birthday is coming up…." He didn't even have to finish the sentence before the little knobs in my head were turning.

"And you need a little help picking up a big birthday present." He chuckled.

"Maybe."

"Already ahead of you big bro, okay come by the store the day after tomorrow and I will help you pick out some amazing gifts." He smiled.

"Spare no expense." I laughed an evil laugh.

"Hell yes you are definitely going to make me look good at work."

"That's the plan, oh but I have to bring along a couple of stowaways considering it's my day off and Elena works all day." She shrugged.

"Eh the more the merrier." We hushed down the b-day talk once Elena came down the stairs.

"What are you two scheming up?" She asked with an accusing tone.

"Damon, Amara and I are going to head up to Charlottesville to have lunch with Nikki day after tomorrow." She smiled.

"Ah- you finally get to meet Damon." She mention Damon's name with an angled tone- I knew that they eventually were going to try and set something up between us, but at the moment I couldn't give a damn considering how happy I was to be included in Elena's b-day plans.

That night I went to sleep in my half made bed comfortable and feeling safer than I had felt in years, it was about time that it wasn't necessary to sleep with the feeling that I was being watched at night, I no longer felt dangerously vulnerable.

Okay that's the end of this chapter I hope you liked it!  
I should have the next one up with in the next week or so please don't forget to review!


	3. Chapter 3 ITS UP TO YOU

Okay I know this is a really odd way of doing things but I am in need of some assistance.

I have a couple of ideas for this story but I can make up my mind - so I am leaving this up to all of you so here are the choices,

Would you all like to see Damon Salvatore as a sexy steamy vampire doctor?

Or would you like to see Damon as his regular bad boy self handling all of Nikki's ex bf baggage?

okay so the choice is up to all of you I will be counting up the votes at the end of the week and have a chapter hopefully up by the next week so please please please please please please vote and let me know what you would like to read in the future!

Much appreciated! 3 :)


	4. Ch3 he made my life hell

Chapter 3

Here is the next chapter btw it is a long one! I know I said I would wait another week and a half but I was really excited about this new piece that I just couldn't wait. I really hope you guys like this one! Please r and r let me know what you think the good the bad and the not so nice…. But please don't be too harsh J

Oh Oh- I almost forgot to mention- please keep a look out for another fanfiction of Vampire Diaries that will be out soon, it's kind of a romantic comedy drama type – and it's a little bit more to the Vampire Diaries plot well except for a few little details, but it's called Damon's Dark Horse its out now and in my collection of yet to be done work J

I also want to add a bit of information on this type of vampire – it's not the usual vampire diaries vampire, I know I'm changing things a bit please don't kill me but I once read a book called One Lucky Vampire and it had some sort of genetically engineered vampires that seemed to be more like mutant humans. They have all the same attributes as vampires for example- drinking blood, super strength, super speed, and healing abilities and of course being immortal but they can still reproduce, can go out in sunlight without a ring. But I'm putting a bit of a twist to things sort of mixing two species together- you will see some similarities between VD vampires and the ones I spoke about earlier any who onto less confusion here is my new chapter!

My body felt completely battered as I moved for the first time since I had woken up from my nine hour slumber, I looked at the clock that had just struck nine thirty and groaned at the fact that I had a very long day.

'_Give me three reasons to get out of bed brain.'_

'_One – today is your first day of work.'_

'_Two the big bosses are coming into the store…including Pat- Pat the director of stores not crazy psycho ex-boyfriend Pat.'_

'_Three you want to make a statement by walking in looking flawless and not ratchet.'_

I popped right out of bed and began my very long primping portion of the day, and started off with an invigorating shower with rose bud and vanilla extract that made my entire body smell amazing. I had already had my legs waxed the week before and I was amazed at the fact that they were still silky smooth and stubble free I merely applied an exfoliating treatment to make them even softer. I moved onto my hair which was in desperate need of a moisturizing mask, I was completely devoured in breathtaking scents.

I stepped out of the shower and dried off heading towards my makeup boudoir to quick apply all the eye makeup and mascara, which was my favorite part about applying makeup, I remember watching some gypsy wedding show and a girl saying that 'eyes are the nipples of the face' and I completely agree with her, now all that was left was lip gloss, blush and bronzer.

There was no need to spend the next hour picking out the perfect outfit, I had hung everything including the accessories and boxed up the shoes along with the outfit so with that and running off to my favorite device in the house that is my Starbucks Verismo, I made myself a quick Very Berry Hibiscus refresher and a little breakfast I was off and good to go.

Once I had got to my car I had realized that I had left without my purse, that was just like me to leave something very important behind, when I was living with Elena in high school, she would always laugh her ass off at me whenever I tried to leave her house to go on a date or to go to work. So with once pass through the house to make sure that I wasn't forgetting anything I was off with my hot pink graffiti Louis Viton and speeding down the rural roads of Mystic Falls and on my way to Charlottesville.

According to the GPS I wasn't as far as I thought I was from the mall, it was a mere forty five minutes away and if there was any traffic in the forecast I was screwed if I didn't leave at least an hour in advanced, I wasn't too cranky about doing all this driving on the count that I had lived that life when I was in L.A, it had become something that I liked to do, I mean who wouldn't like to drive around with the top down in their convertible with the music blasting, for me driving was me time.

Only now that I had sold my beautiful bulky SUV and opted for something a bit more luxurious I picked out a sweet Audi RS 5 black on black., it was luxurious and sexy and most importantly fast as all hell, and what with the turbo engine and the all-wheel drive setting I was sure to have absolutely issues out here in the country side.

Since I had a little bit left over from selling my other car I also added a pure white BMW F 700 GS, for those nights when I just want to ride off into the stars, fortunately back when my father was alive he taught me everything about motorcycles including how to drive one like a queen. The nice thing about driving around in the country, cops were a bit more scarce than when I was back in L.A, luckily for me I was fully equipped with a radar detector, after my last speeding ticket I had made it a habit of always having one in the car with me.

I pulled into the underground parking garage which was located just under Victoria's Secret as I was made aware after a short elevator ride up and right in front of the store, I looked at the store and smiled to myself, I was completely happy to hold such a high up position at such a young age. I knew I would be closely watched over the next few months, there was no doubt that some people were uneasy with giving me such a high position but seeing as how I had been with the company for over five years and held great degrees with an acclaimed school it seemed to settle some doubts.

Upon entering the store, dressed in all black and perfectly accessorized for the first day of work to say the least the next few hours was filled with introducing myself to at least twenty other ladies including the supervisors and the previous, everyone was really nice and welcoming. The only bad part of the day was being told that I had to fade my hair out a bit more for it to be deemed appropriate, I seemed to forget once I had my hair dye rampage that red was one of the colors that was alright as long as it wasn't the same shade as the little mermaid, and let's just say that at the moment all I needed was a purple clam bra and a green tail and my new nickname would for sure be Ariel.

The luck continued when I saw that there was a salon next door to the store and I was able to quickly get the color deepened and darkened enough to be allowed after work, I was amazed at how fast they were and how beautiful they styled I absolutely loved the way they made long waterfall curls with my close to Rapunzel length hair.

Over all my day went pretty well what with making out selling goals at the store and getting my hair done, all I wanted to do now was eat dinner, and relax with a glass of wine by the fire seeing as how it was still spring it was still comfortable with the cool spring air.

I knocked out on the couch just as the fire died out, wrapped tight in my throw blanket like I used to do when I was younger, slipping into the dream world I knew all too well took no more than five minutes after I slept.

During all the abusive drama with Patrick I learned to shut out any nightmares that I might have had, every night that I slept since it all started I dreamt of nothing, all I would see was black and nothing else. It soon became depressing because there was nowhere to escape to no faraway places that I could runaway to, no fantasies that could make the day time any more of bearable soon I just stopped hoping for a chance I stopped hope altogether.

Tonight was no different than all the other nights except for the fact that I felt safer, it was just a pitch black abyss which let me rest assured that no harm would come to me.

I woke up with a startle forgetting that my phone was right next to my head, gasping for a bit of air as I popped my head up.

"Alright Nikki calm yourself it's just an alarm." I took a deep breath.

I looked at my phone to see a text from Stephan saying that he would show up at the store at around three so I could help him pick out a few things for Elena, and seeing as how I got off work at six and Elena was out of the house for another couple of hours we would all go out to dinner. To be honest I was rather excited for the day ahead of me, I would get to hang out with an old friend slash brother, my beloved niece and I would finally get to meet the infamous Damon.

I ran upstairs to take a quick shower and get dolled up for the day, which consisted of the same routine as usual, it took me a bit longer than usual considering I hadn't laid out my clothes the night before but I was still pretty quick on my feet. I threw on a simple black dress that had cut out designs above the bust and that showed a bit of cleavage and short sleeves, and cute black sandals that had crystals all over the straps and showed off my nicely black manicured feet.

I quickly grabbed a light sweater, a white chocolate raspberry latte and my purse and I was off to work, and then back into the house because I had left my favorite sunglasses on the island counter and wasn't willing to leave without them.

Getting to work wasn't much of a breeze that morning what with all the traffic on the expressway, already this day was feeling shitty, I just hoped that it would get a little better than being stuck in traffic.

When I finally got to work things didn't get much better, unlike yesterday we hadn't been making our sales goals all morning, two of my sales girls called off for personal and health reasons and to add to everything I wasn't able to do any office work at all. To add to all the absences my bra specialist had called off as well, leaving me in the lingerie and bra area to make all of our sales goals, luckily once upon a time I was an amazing bra specialist so it gave me a chance to relive my selling glory days and show these girls that I still had it.

Things got better after Stephen and Amara arrived and I was able to make my last sale by helping him pick out lots of new items for Elena.

"Stephen!" I exclaimed as I ran to give him and Amara a big bear hug.

"Hey stranger – how's it going?"

"Eh not too bad, did Elena suspect anything?" He shook his head.

"Nope, she got called into work last minute and won't be back until later tonight." I nodded.

"Well then there's no time to waste."

"What time do you get off?" He asked.

"About a half hour so you will be my last sale of the day." He smiled.

"Well then let's show these girls what you're made of when it comes to a big sale." I laughed.

"Now that's what I like to hear." I took him through the entire store as we put together an entire giant gift bag for Elena, and it didn't just stop at Stephen and I picking out items for her while he waited for me to ring up his purchases Amara also picked up a tube of lip gloss and a heart shaped box of mints.

"Man – she is one smart baby Steph." I commented as I finished up at the cashier station.

Stephen really made sure to make me look good thanks to his thousand dollar purchase and not stopping at just the purchase, he also ended up getting an Angel's card just to make me look even better.

"If you wanna just wait for me on the side I'm going to get ready to sign off." He gave me a nod and waited patiently.

"Alright girls this last ditch effort was amazing we went green for this segment and in every department as well, we only need 2 grand to go green for the entire day. In this last 2 hour segment, Pink girls you only need about 500 more to make your day but let's shoot for 800 to perk things up, beauty you only need 4 more EDPs to make your beauty goal along with another 100 dollars but let's shoot for 200 and last but not least bra ladies you need 800 more to go green for the day but let's make it 1000 because I know you all can do it! I am signing off as your Sales Lead and Dee will be taking over good luck girls!" I hadn't noticed that during my little pep speech to the girls over the head set, Damon had already arrived and was waiting with Stephen and Amara, I scurried into my office to grab all my belongings and clock out and met back up with them. In the corner of my eye I had to smile because Damon never pegged me as someone who was good with children but he seemed to really have a way with Amara, she absolutely adored him, and vice versa she seemed to have a very special place in his heart from the way he smiled at her.

"Sorry about that, I'm ready." Stephen smiled.

"Nikki this is my older brother Damon- Damon this is Elena's cousin Nikki." I gave a shy smile.

"Nice to meet you." I held my hand out to shake his, and he merely spat out…. making sure that I knew he didn't like me.

"Likewise." In a very sarcastic manner, not even glancing at my hand, receiving a glare from Stephen in the process.

We walked over to the parking lot drop off all the bags into Stephen's Mercedes, and from there we walked over to a nearby restaurant that was located in the mall, some quaint little steakhouse by the name of Wildfire.

I wish I could say that dinner went better than the introduction but sadly it didn't, it seemed as though my reputation had proceeded me, he knew first hand all the events I had missed all the important celebrations that I had made excuse after lame excuse on why I couldn't attend.

"So Nikki how was the move out here?" Stephen asked a little embarrassed at the way his brother was behaving.

"A long process." I started to shut down, all the glares and scoffs and snarky sarcastic comments were starting to get to me, his attitude had started to give me chills.

'Did he really hate me that much?' I asked myself.

"Where all did you stop by?" I took a sip of water and tried to continue the conversation with Stephen at least.

"I drove to Texas and decided to sell my car, I flew to Chicago and hung out there for a few days to visit some of my old college friends and from there I drove my Audi to Mystic Falls."

"Seems kinda pointless don't you think?" Damon finally chipped into the new conversation giving me a definite answer to my question.

"Not to me." I bit back.

"Hn." Such a small reaction to some but with his rude and intimidating attitude made a bit impression on me.

I held my head high throughout dinner not letting him get to me, but I knew that this wouldn't end here and now, I knew that I would receive this very same behavior from the others as well, but is like my grandmother always said 'things sometimes get worse before they get better.'

I knew just how worse situations could get thanks to Patrick but now it seemed as though I had made a new enemy, and this new enemy was infamous for getting people back for having wronged him- and his family.

We walked back to the parking lot where we said our goodbyes.

"Are you sure we can't walk you to your car?" Before I could react someone stepped into the conversation.

"I have to get back to the bar Stephen and it's a long drive home." Stephen scoffed and rolled his eyes at Damon while waiting for my answer.

"No its fine – I'm a big girl, I can make the short walk by myself." Stephen gave me an apologetic smile.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow or something like that Steph, Damon-it was nice to meet you." I offered one last effort.

"Wish I could say the same." He said.

All I could do was laugh, the situation was kind of funny.

"I'm sorry about him Nikki." Stephen said on behalf of Damon.

"It's okay, its fine really I guess in a way I kind of deserve it…." I started out.

"No it's not fine, Nikki and you don't deserve this, it wasn't your fault and Elena will tell you the same thing." I smiled.

"Thanks big bro, I'll see you and El later on I guess, just please don't tell anyone right now- I don't need the pity." He gave his word that he or Elena wouldn't, followed by a hug good bye before leaving to give his brother a piece of his mind.

That night I raced home and just went straight to bed after charging my phone and changing into something a little bit more comfortable to sleep in.

As soon as my head hit the pillow I knocked out in exhaustion of what the day had brought to me, I felt different tonight and it was different as I faded into the black it wasn't like all the other times.

I finally started to dream again.

I was in a dark and foggy place, my heart was racing because I was running- at first it was like I was watching a horror movie that was starring in- I couldn't tell why I was running but after a few moments of watching the movie I woke up in my own body still running away from someone.

He laughed loud enough to make me jump, no matter how fast I ran he was right behind me, no matter where I hid he always found me.

I looked all over trying to find help, the only thing I saw beyond the fog was a dark figure and piercing blue eyes that just watched as my terror took place.

"Boo!" He said into my shoulder.

"NO!" I screamed as loud as I could jumping away from his grip.

"Didn't you miss me, baby?" He asked in his malicious voice.

I ran into the wooded area and hid behind a group of trees only to be found again, the further in I ran the thicker the fog got and I came to a wooden bridge above a lake.

He appeared before me yet again with a smile on his face, eyes red as blood and pierced into my very soul, his blonde hair as messy as it always was and that smile had turned sharp like he had turned into some vampire.

He came towards me slowly, his laughter sounding like complete terror, my heart felt like it was going to pop out of my chest it was beating so fast.

"No- get back Patrick don't!" He charged faster clutching to my body, knocking me down and beating the wind from my lungs until I felt his teeth ripped into my flesh.

"AAAAHHHHH." I was frozen, I couldn't move or breathe- I couldn't fight back, I could wait until my pain was dead, until I was dead.

I heard the crack of the wooden fence behind me and I fell- I fell forever watching him standing there with a smile that meant he had won.

I woke up completely breathless and gasping for air, with hot tears streaming down my cheeks not being able to control my emotions, not being able to keep my anxiety under control.

For the rest of the night trying to control my exhaustion because I was too scared to go to sleep.

Narration POV

Damon stood there perched on the tree no more than three feet away from her window watching with content as she tried to stay awake the rest of the night, manipulating her dreams into nightmares anytime she dozed off.

He stood there watching her dread the very thought of falling asleep satisfied he seeing her wake up each time more terrorized then the last.

The next few days weren't much better in regards to Nikki's dreams…..well nightmares to be exact- it was as if each night was even more gruesome than the last, she was completely drained of any peace that she had received by being away from Patrick. It's as if she had escaped one hell only to lay down to rest into another. Night after night they got even more grisly, what with being slaughtered, being tortured and even being raped, it was like a never ending abyss of dismay, until one night she gave up, she gave up on it all when he caught her once again.

She was in a warehouse in the clutches of her ex-boyfriend Patrick and just gave up, looking away from the happy dagger that was about to plunged through her chest, she looked over at the piercing blue eyes that always seemed to be observing her nightmares. In every single nightmare they were always watching as if it were they're own personal horror movie, and she was the leading lady. She stared back into the eyes and gave into whatever evil that had a hold on her.

He lifted the dagger up above her chest and slammed it into her.

And all the while she dreamt he was out there on the other side of the window just watching, satisfied with what he had done, satisfied with the aftermath, claiming that he had good reasoning for it. As if all the pain she had put Elena through all those years could compare to what he was putting her through.

I woke up from my last horror movie only I didn't scream this time, I just had the same reaction- overworked breath, feeling that there was a dagger in my chest and heart racing, I got up out of bed and walked over to my window that led to a small balcony. It was one of the reasons that I had bought the house in the first place, the balcony that I could just spend hours gazing up at the stars. I felt nothing, not the cold breeze night, not the pain that I usually felt because of my body's lack of any real rest, I just felt numb like there was so much pain and I knew it was there it finally felt normal.

Staring up into the stars I wondered who was responsible for my nightly terrors, wondering if it was just karma for not telling anyone, for lying to Elena and everyone else who had bothered caring about me.

I had lost the ability to cry this last week, after all of the nightmares that had me balling like a baby had used up all my tears. I desperately tried to make myself feel anything other than pain and torment, sitting over the ledge of the balcony just thinking about what my life had become was.

I was exhausted and I couldn't take the pain anymore.

All I could do was go back to bed and lay down, wishing that I wouldn't have another nightmare, but wishful thinking had gotten me nowhere, all I had left to do was lay my head down to rest into yet another hellish nightmare.

Hoping that this time would give my body at least a little bit of rest, work was easy to pass the time by faking it for all the unfamiliar faces but when it came to Elena and Stephan, and not to mention all the friends I had not seen in years it was going to be a different perspective.

They knew me too well.

Some maybe a little too well.

I want to thank all of you for voting and making this writing experience more challenging than the last, you all really gave me a new perspective, I must admit that I want going the steamy sexy doctor route but while I was writing it just didn't feel right – I missed the bad boy Damon.

You all challenged me to think in different ways when it came to thinking up a different path for this story so thank you thank you thank you!

Please please please reward me with some of you ever so appreciated reviews because I love them so much!


	5. Chapter 4 Secrets and Guilt

Okay so here is the next chapter to Face Down, I really hope you guys liked it, although its making me feel a bit self-conscious that no one has commented on it, if there is anything that you guys don't like or if anything doesn't make sense please please please let me know – lol the silence is killing me!

~~~~~~F~~~~~~~~~

I woke up the next morning with the same feelings, all groggy and feeling like my body was just beaten but it wasn't unusual considering what I had been through the past week, I managed to stumble into my bathroom to see the damage. The lack of true rest was starting to take its toll on my appearance, although makeup and tea bags for dark circles did the trick for the first few days a week was too much for my was starting to be my only emotion lately, I tried getting drunk when time started to set into the second week but it was of no use to me, it only seemed to make my vision and sense of judgment impaired, it made me stupid and for all intents and purposes a slave to him. Getting a prescription from my doctor only made things more vivid, the sleeping pills kept me from waking up making me more aware of the fact that I was dreaming within my nightmares, no matter how hard I tried to wake up it was no use it was like my own little personal version of 'The Nightmare On Elm Street. After drugs and alcohol being of no use I simply accepted my fate of forever nightmares, and along with that I tried the hardest to make at least my day life as happy as could be, I spent every possible moment over at Elena and Stephen's, anywhere but my bedroom….anything at all that had to do with keeping me wide awake.

We spoke about how life had been for them after being married and having a baby, they even trusted me enough to babysit for a night while they went on a date, things felt like normal again I no longer felt like the odd one out. They took me out to all the usual spots that we used to hang out, it was fun for all of us to relive all of the happy old memories, along with the not so happy memories. Many things had changed in Mystic Falls, the owner of 'The Grill' had sold the bar to none other the infamous Salvatore brothers along with a couple of other tenant buildings, it seemed that the two together were quite the businessmen. Elena had graduated from Whitmore College with a bachelor's degree in Nursing and was currently working here in the Mystic Falls hospital, but still hoped to become a pediatric doctor in the near future. Little by little things began to happen for me, good things that is, like at the store I was being accredited for all the good work I was doing and I even had time to take up some of my old hobbies like shooting at the old gun range, ice skating- which happily reminded me of the good old days when I did it for competition. Luckily I never succumbed to the unfortunate trait of weak ankles and I caught on quick and was able to do some of the fancy stuff that I was glorified for back in my high school days.

It seemed as though I had somewhat started to get my life back together, things were starting to look up.

But little did I know that the feeling of seclusion was about to come back and smack me dead in the face during Elena's 25th birthday, I arrived just late enough for it to still be tolerable but it wasn't so easy lugging a present and a bottle of champagne along with my huge as purse while riding a motorcycle.

I remembered that whenever our group would get together we would always get drunk off of cheap scotch and whiskey so I decided to class it up a bit with a nice bottle of champagne it was likely that the two new parents probably wouldn't want to get drunk, and everyone would be driving back to they're old homes. As for Elena's present I decided to make it a two-for special I had made a collage of our old days photos and framed it beautify hoping that it would remind everyone of our good old days, and for the second it was a little more glitzy, a simple charm for the Pandora bracelet that Stephen had bought her as an anniversary gift.

I slipped off my helmet and set it down on the bike taking in deep breaths to try and calm myself down a bit, somehow I knew that this wouldn't be such a pleasant night…well at least for me. Walking up to the pathway I looked through the window I saw them all laughing and enjoying the evening and even Damon, the coldest one of all was looking like he was having a good time only all that changed when Elena and Stephen opened their home to me.

Once I walked in and it's as if I had rained on they're parade.

They're cold stares said it all.

I wasn't welcome.

"Hi." I managed to squeak out, feeling like a deer caught in headlights.

I could tell that it gave Caroline much pleasure that I looked like a hot mess, she had that satisfied smirk about her, Damon as well the same smirk that he had always wore when he succeeded in making me embarrassed or. As for Bonnie and Jeremy well they simply refused to speak to me, to them I was just a ghost from their past clouding up their presence and the worst part about all this was that I actually felt like I was a ghost. Throughout dinner the only two who made any effort at all to speak to me where Stephen and Elena, who both looked completely aggravated with everyone else's cold behavior, it felt as if I was a ghost or something, here I was stuck in a room filled with people but feeling completely alone. I sat there smiling and listening to all of the stories trying very much to make the best of a clearly bad situation.

Loneliness turned to embarrassment and hostility once the questions started being asked, and all attention and conversation turned to the topic of Nikki.

"So Nikki- what have you been up to?" Caroline asked with much cynicism in her voice, I seemed to have zoned off in the middle of her question but I shook of the exhaustion and managed to answer, not that she cared for a real answer.

"Uhm- well after graduated I spent the last three years transferring locations with Victoria's Secret and I ended up in L.A before finally moving here."

"So what's with the big move here- did Pat dump you?" She hit a nerve when she mentioned his name but I managed to calm myself long enough to give a calm and collected answer.

"No actually I broke it off when I got the job offer here, they wrote up a contract so I am here to stay." I smiled while fidgeting with my wine glass.

"Hm." She gave me a playful smile as if not believing my explanation half assed explanation.

Sometime during dinner I just gave up on all the conversation, I sort of just toned everyone out and paid more attention to the drink in my hand, luckily over the years I had learned to hold down my liquor and kept my self-control. Somewhere in being lost in my own thoughts I caught Damon staring at me with a look of wonder, as if he were waiting for some great rise to come out of me, though it pleased him to see that I stood there and took it all in.

For a moment I challenged the glower I was receiving and forced him to look away.

It wasn't until I heard Caroline whispering some gossip about me being pregnant with Pat's unwanted kid and abortions and some other bullshit that I couldn't even stomach hearing at the moment, I didn't make a scene I just decided to say my goodbyes and leave.

I couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey El." I whispered after her as she walked into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.

She turned to look at me with a longing sad expression.

"I just wanted to say happy birthday." I handed her a bag that contained her gifts and a bottle of her favorite champagne.

"Thank you Nikki." She gave me a hug with all of her gifts in hand, she looked down and took the first out of the bag and nearly broke down in tears. It was all the highlights of our Senior Year and the summer of, it contained all of the happiest moments that she and I shared together, and not only her but Bonnie and Caroline too, pretty much everyone that was in our group. After one last look of it she gave me another hug, trying to keep my tears down I waited for her to pull away and politely tell her that I was leaving for the night.

"Your welcome- but I think it's time for me to go home." Her smile faded as soon as I tried to say good bye.

"Thank you for coming, and I'm sorry about all this- I mean I really just want to….." She didn't have to finish her statement, I knew that she wanted to give everyone an explanation.

"El- don't worry I can handle all this- just not tonight I need some sleep." She raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean you need some sleep? And no offense but why do you look like an insomniac?" She scanned my face for any type of explanation.

"I haven't been sleeping very well, I've been having nightmares about Pat and they're really screwed up." Elena's eyes widened.

"And the fucked up thing is that – they're so vivid I can feel everything, every bite, every scratch everything I can feel it as if it's actually happening." She stared at me with such angered teary eyes, she pulled me in for a hug.

"Go home- try to get some sleep, call in sick tomorrow if you have to." I chuckled a bit and nodded.

"Luckily I have the next two days off so I can at least try to get some sleep." Her expression turned to anger, I could tell she was going to go off on the group after I left but I was a bit too exhausted to care at the moment.

"Kay- I'll call you in the morning." She walked me into the living room as I was about to head out to say a farewell.

"Bye guys- enjoy the champagne." Caroline smiled.

"What don't tell me you're leaving already?" I smiled back at her.

"Yeah- I have to work early in the morning." As if anyone needed or cared for an explanation.

Elena stayed in the living room glaring daggers at everyone while Stephen walked me out to say goodnight.

"Sorry about all this." He said, I simply shrugged.

"It's alright- I mean I guess I kinda deserve it."

"No you don't." Stephen snapped.

"They don't know what's going on Steph and I'd like to keep it that way for now." He sighed.

"Yeah I think Elena has other ideas about that, she's about to rip everyone's head off." I laughed.

"I almost feel sorry for them but when Car made that last comment about me aborting Pat's kid and running off the sorrow seems to go away." He rolled his eyes.

"What are we going to do with that Caroline?" I shrugged and laughed.

"Let Elena handle her I guess." He and I chuckled at the small joke.

"Go get some sleep Nikki- it looks like you need some, I've got to go restrain my wife." I laughed harder.

"Oh Stephen getting rough are we? So I guess that mean Amara will be having a sibling soon?" He laughed and gave me a hug goodbye before going back into the house.

I slipped on my helmet and revved the engine of my bike and I was off speeding down the road, thinking that it was the perfect time and weather for a night ride.

I drove off with great speed and no intentions of slowing down, I knew that tonight would be the night that Elena revealed my secret and all of my shadowed past would come into the light of the others, most would be angry that someone so close would expose such a personal secret but I knew that her intentions were honorable which is why I wouldn't hold it against her. Right now all I wanted to do was ride into the night for a while and escape reality, I raced through all the wooded roadways that was the outskirts of Mystic Falls and I was in complete awe- it was so dark, but I loved it the way that city lights were nowhere to be seen. With no city lights nature's true beauty was revealed and my eyes were re-opened to something I once loved looking at when I was young, the navy blue sky that was light up with nothing but the full moon and scattered with all the beautiful stars.

The curved roads took me to a bridge that crossed over water, I stopped the bike and stood at the edge of the bridge simply listening to the sounds of the night that sang strikingly hummed with the running water of the river below. I closed my eyes and inhaled the night air with content, there was something about the summer air at night that just relaxed me so; this familiar feeling came so frequently back in high school I had clearly taken it for granted.

But never again, after all I did have the rest of my life here in the Falls to make it up to myself and everyone else I had neglected over the years.

Elena's POV

I marched back downstairs after having put Amara to bed and I faced everyone in the living room, I looked over at Stephen who seemed to be just as angry as I was.

"What the fuck is everybody's problem?" I shouted at the top of my lungs, I felt my body tremble in anger.

"What are you talking about?" Caroline asked innocently.

"Could you guys have been more insolent and obnoxious towards her?" I shouted in her direction, she merely scoffed at me.

"Oh please Elena you were the one bitching the most about her missing your wedding and all that other bullshit and now you're what on her side? You're such a hypocrite!" She stood up and shouted in my face.

"Yeah that's before I found out that her psycho ex-boyfriend was beating the crap out of her so bad that he sent her in the hospital over and over again!" I backed her into a wall.

"Oh is that what she told you?" Caroline asked as if not believing a word that was coming out of my mouth.

"Well this little mediation has been very interesting but I really must be going." Damon said before heading for the hall, I blurred over to him and held him by the neck pinning him to the wall.

"What so you can manipulate her dreams again?!" She laughed.

"Yeah I know about your new little night time hobby Damon, manipulating her dreams to the point where she can't sleep! Oh and to answer your question Caroline- yes that's what she told me- that's what she showed me! All the scars, all the bruises she almost died!" I turned to look at they're guilty faces.

"You know I expected this from you Caroline and especially from you Damon but Jeremy- Bonnie, I expected a little more from you two." They all had the same feeling in their expressions…guilt.

"I know that you think that you're defending Stephen and me and even Amara by making her life hell but news flash Damon she's already been in hell! So you make this right or I swear I'll" He interrupted me.

"Or what?" He snapped at me, I saw that Stephen was about to interfere so I took my shot.

"Or what?" I dug my nails into his neck and tightened my grip on him finally breaking his skin and drawing blood.

"There isn't an 'or what'- this isn't a request you WILL make this right!" I felt the veins in my face show through, I was about to do something I was going to regret so I calmed myself down.

I released him just as he showed just a twinge of unease, I could see that even she was feeling just a little bit remorseful for what he had done then I turned to look at the others.

"The same goes for the rest of you! I don't care what you do or how you make it happen but all of you had better find a way to fix this, she came back here to find safety and all you've given her is another nightmare." Neither could come up with any sort of explanation or excuse to deny my demands.

Since my temper tantrum seemed to put a damper on the whole party everyone pretty much left after finishing off the bottle of champagne that Nikki brought, and along with some serious apologies well all except for Damon of course but he was never the type to apologize with words.

But something did intrigue me about him, the whole hard exterior of his was cracked and behind the cracks I saw the guilt in his eyes, even Stephen noticed the torn change in his demeanor.

For the first time he actually felt remorse for what he had done, it seemed that his humanity was brought back even if for a moment, I just hoped that he would leave Nikki alone from now on it was clear that he had done enough damage. I just hoped that the damaged wasn't irreparable, Nikki had been through so much already I would hate for it to be at a point of no return.

"You really know how to command everyone's attention." I felt Stephen's arms snake around my waist as I look out into the darkness.

"Hormones I guess." I felt the tremble of his body as he chuckled.

"Well whatever you call it- it sure caught my attention." I laid my head against his body and smiled up at him.

"Well – it's still my birthday and you promised me a gift." He leaned down and kissed me, tightening his grip on my body.

"Why don't we go downstairs and I'll give you the first half of your present?" I smiled and pulled away.

"Lead the way." I whispered and squeaked when he scooped me up into his arms.

He took me down into the basement were he gave me the first half of my birthday gift over and over again and all night long, I just hoped that one of those gifts wasn't another sibling for Amara; one was enough at least for right now.

Damon's POV

I felt different when I left the party, as much as I hated admitting it to myself Elena was right not that I would ever openly say it to anyone her words poisoned my mind… and made me feel like a complete asshole.

I waited for her in the same spot as I always did, only this time it was for a much different purpose and after about a half hour I got tired of waiting and I decided to give into my curiosity about her life. As I walked through the house I noticed little things about her, things that I would have learned had I not been such a dick and shunned her.

Nikki was a girl who seemed to be obsessed with technology, plasma screen TV with all the extra gadgets that rich people usually have, an Apple laptop and Apple computer and on top of that she seemed to be on top of the latest Xbox console, which explained why she used to be so close to Jeremy. Nikki was also a girl who liked guns, she had about three of them stashed around her house, she obviously was paranoid that a certain person would come looking for her, the more I found out about her the more I was drawn to her

In the distance I heard an engine being revved as fast as it would go, the sound came closer and closer until I heard it reach a stop, it took her a little while to get to her room, so it gave me enough time to jump over to the tree and watch. I noticed that she was so lost in thought, she didn't even notice that I was sitting there watching. She was pacing around her room saying things to herself, then suddenly she pushed the doors open toward her balcony she came out in a march with her phone in hand, with such anger she threw the phone as hard as she could towards me making a sort of grunt scream type noise.

Luckily my reflexes were sharp otherwise I would have been smacked right in the face, I caught it and looked down trying to figure out what made her so angry, then I noticed a text message from some unknown number.

'You think you can hide from me? Ha- it took me three days to find your new number. It's only a matter of time until I find you…. Love Patrick. Ps I can't wait to see how the scars healed.'

The text message was followed by a picture of her lying in a bed with a look of terror on her face, I felt something start to burn inside me, realizing that he was an even bigger monster than I was.

I couldn't turn away as I watched her start to undress in front of her mirror, just staring at herself but it wasn't until she got down to her bra and underwear that I realized why she was doing this, taking a wipe she cleaned off all the make-up that was covering the strangle marks that were on her neck. Her eyes roamed all her bruised and scratched up body, whoever had done this to her was smart about making sure that they were areas where clothing would cover. I half expected her to start crying, just the sight of her was enough to add fuel to the anger that burned inside me, but she didn't cry she merely observed with wonder in her eyes.

She intrigued me, there was something that was so alluring about her until tonight I thought was just a superficial surface but the more I watched her, the more I made her suffer I noticed that it wasn't just make believe that I was putting in her dreams.

I was merely making her relive all of the misery that her ex-boyfriend.

I felt guilty.

For whatever reason I suddenly felt protective of her.

After her little session of ogling her battle scars she finally decided to go to bed after having taken some sort of pill she finally knocked out, as I watched her sleep peacefully for about five minutes then fall back into the routine I had started her on. The more I watched her struggle to find any peace the more Elena's words began to fester through my mind, the more the festering began to annoy me the more I felt compelled to do something to even the score, or in non-asshole terms…to make things right.

I jumped back onto the balcony and entered her room, contemplating on entering her dream world one last time…

~~~~~~~~~~F~~~~~~~

Okay so there it is Damon feels guilty and he is about to do something, I hope that you all liked this last chapter please please give me some more o review I need a little inspiration! I should have the next chapter within the next couple of weeks sorry if I get a bit busy work is getting crazy with our big sale coming up!

Thank you again to all who voted!

And a special thanks to vampangel25, HermioneandMarcus, Damrey, jessie-lee95 and everyone else who reviewed your comments are much appreciated!


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